A solid electrolyte is a substance in which an electric current is caused to flow by migration of ions in the solid. If a solid electrolyte cell, in which a gas component to be detected, contained in the gas to be tested, is used as a reactant, is fabricated by using such a solid electrolyte, the concentration of the intended gas component can be known from the amplitude of the electromotive force of the cell or an electric current that can be taken out from the cell. This gas sensor is called "a solid electrolyte type gas sensor".
Various solid electrolyte type gas sensors differing in the structure have been proposed (see Mizusaki, Yamauchi and, Fueki, "Ideas of Solid Electrolyte Sensors", Electrical Chemistry and Industrial Physical Chemistry, Vol. 50, No. 1, pages 7-12, 1982, Yamauchi and Fueki, "Solid Electrolyte Gas Sensors", ibid, pages 46-53, and literature cited therein). In most conventional solid electrolyte type gas sensors, a reference electrode to be contacted with a standard gas should be disposed, and therefore, the structure is complicated and the size is inevitably large. On the other hand, solid electrolyte type gas sensors having a structure in which a standard gas is not necessary are defective in that a satisfactory stability cannot be obtained. Accordingly, only a stabilized zirconia O.sub.2 sensor is practically used at the present.